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AmericasConnect Tours
presents
The African-Brazilian Heritage Tour: Rio & Salvador – Brazil
August 16TH – 27TH, 2007
This Twelve-Day, Fully Escorted Tour Includes:
- Round trip airfare from New York or Miami to Brazil & airfare from Rio to Salvador
- Transfer in both cities
- All air, hotel taxes and baggage handling
- Four star hotel in Rio
- Four star hotel in Salvador
- Welcome lunch party in Rio
- Visit to Jongo da Serrinha (to be confirmed)
- Complimentary Brazilian breakfast daily buffet
- Five additional meals
- Rio’s Senerarium Night Club
- Tour of Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar) and Christ, the Redeemer (Corcovado) statue in Rio and lunch
- Historic tour of Rio’s neighborhood (Visit to the Samba Museum, Visit to Sambodramo, Zumbi’s Monument, Lapa and Santa Teresa)
- The Benção – Tuesday Evening at Pelourinho
- Party reception in Salvador and lecture
- Historic tour of Old Salvador and lunch
- Candomble: Afro-Brazilian religion ceremony
- Visit to Salvador’s country side; Santo Amaro and Cachoeira (Sisterhood of Good Death)
- Music and dance workshop by Ile-Aye
- Sailing to Itaparica Island
- English speaking local Brazilian guides
- On-site bilingual tour coordinator
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY:
Day 1 – Thursday, August 16 - Evening flight from the US to Rio de Janeiro. You are off to Brazil for an experience of a lifetime!
Day 2 – Friday, August 17 - Rio: Morning arrival at Rio’s International Airport, transfer to the four-star Leme Acapulco Copacabana Hotel. Group orientation and welcome lunch party.
Lunch at a churrascaria (BBQ Brazilian style buffet)
This churrascaria is located at the biggest urban park in Latin America, Aterro do Flamengo, between the city center and the south zone. Spanning 5,000 square miles, it sits in front of one of the most dazzling sights in Rio de Janeiro, the Guanabara's Bay and the Sugar Loaf. The restaurant offers a distinctive Brazilian barbecue, salad and cold cut buffet, Japanese food and seafood. (Dessert and drinks not included).
Evening activity - Rio’s Senerarium Night Club
Perhaps Rio’s hottest nightspot. This night club has three floors, each lavish decorated with antiques. Balconies overlook the stage on the 1st floor, with dancers keeping time to jazz-infused samba.
Day 3 – Saturday, August 18 - Rio: Lapa and Santa Teresa, we will walk through beautiful early 20th century architecture, antique shops and samba bars. Lapa is the location of Snoop and Pharell’s famous music video “Beautiful”. Then walk the cobbled streets of Santa Teresa, a friendly neighborhood and artist enclave overlooking downtown Rio. (Lunch included).
Visit to Sambodramo: Designed by Oscar Neimeyer and built in 1984, this massive concrete stadium-like structure was built along both sides of Avenida Marques de Sapucai, designed to create a runway for the schools to parade down until they reach the Apotheosis Square at the end where they manifest the magnificent magic of Carnival, and dare the awestruck onlookers to deem any show on earth worthy of comparison.
The Samba Museum – Located in the Sambodramo area. By visiting the museum you have an opportunity to see carnival’s costumes, instruments, photos and the history of Brazilians’ greatest passion; Carnival.
Visit to Zumbi’s Monument – Witness Brazil’s monument to Zumbi, a 17th century maroon who lead the largest freed slave society in the western hemisphere, Palmares. He is recognized across the country as a hero, freedom fighter and a symbol of freedom for Afro-Brazilians. Brazil honors Zumbi’s valiant efforts to defy slave rule each year on November 20, a national holiday.
Optional evening activity: To be announced.
Day 4 - Sunday, August 19 – Rio: Free day to relax on the beach or take an optional tour.
Optional tour: Visit to Jongo da Serrinha, a former freed slave community outside of Rio and cultural home to the Jongo, the precursor of Samba brought to Brazilian soil by Angolan slaves. (Excursion to be confirmed)
Day 5 – Monday, August 20th - Rio: Beautiful Day in Rio
Christ, the Redeemer
We will journey to the famed Corcovado Mountain! After a beautiful scenic drive along Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, passengers arrive at the bottom of the Corcovado hill. Here you will embark on a comfortable train-ride, which will wind its way to the top of the beautiful mountain where the statue of Christ the Redeemer is located (2,300 ft above sea level). Here you can overlook Rio de Janeiro and discover why it is known as the Marvelous city! This tour also includes a drive along Rio's famous beaches: Rios’s Beaches – Barra da Tijuca; Sao Conrado; Leblon, Ipanema and Praia Vermelha.
Lunch at Minas
This unique restaurant serves the food from the states of Minas Gerais, which has one of the best Brazilian cuisines and strongly influenced by African culinary traditions. Originated from the old farms, they are prepared in a wood stove, which cooks the food slowly and makes the best black beans possible. The mainstays of the diet are black beans, pork and chicken. You will also find chicken and okra, tutu à mineira, green chard, and all the wonderful, very sweet, deserts from Minas, always accompanied by a slice of cheese.
Sugar Loaf
A solid rock mountain 1,229 feet high at the entrance to Guanabara Bay is one of the landmarks most readily identified with Rio. We will take the cable car at Praia Vermelha to it is first stop at a height of 215 m. The second and final stop of thecable car is at the summit of Sugar Loaf, 394 m. The mountains frame the splendid view of the city.
Optional evening activity: To be announced.
Day 6 - Tuesday, August 21 - Rio/ Salvador: Early afternoon flight from Rio to Salvador. Transfer to the four-star Vila Gale Hotel on Ondina Beach. Upon arrival, unwind at our pool party and orientation.
Evening activity: The Benção – Tuesday Evening at Pelourinho
Tuesday night is Pelourinho's biggest party night. It's called benção (or "blessing") from an origin in the Igreja do Santo Antônio's custom of giving away bread to the poor on Tuesday evenings. Bahia has a way of turning religious events into parties, and that's exactly what happens here - lots of people, lots of music, and lots of dancing.
Day 7 - Wednesday, August 22 – Historical Tour of Pelourinho (Old City)
Pelourinho means, “whipping post" in Portuguese. It is one of the most historic centers of Brazil where the first slave market was developed. In this area you will visit the first African Church of the New World built in 1770, the African-Brazilian Museum, the city’s museum, art galleries, souvenirs shops and various other important historical landmarks. At Pelourinho, we will have lunch at Senac, a culinary academy that serves a variety of food from the state of Bahia. (Lunch included)
Evening activity: Lecture on Afro-Brazilian history and cultural traditions, followed by a private party reception to meet members of Salvador’s thriving Black arts community.
Day 8 – Thursday, August 23 - Salvador
Free day to relax on the beach or optional tour.
Optional tour: Music and workshop by Ile Aye. This group was founded in 1974, is the first and most important Bloco Afro (carnival drum corps) in Bahia. The name means “House of Life" in Yoruba and its objective is to preserve and expand African-Brazilian culture. We will focus on rhythms from three musical forms: candomble, samba and samba reggae. The workshop will cater to all levels; no previous training or experience is necessary!
Optional evening activity: To be announced
Day 9 – Friday, August 24 - Salvador: Sailing to Itaparica Island
We will leave the city harbor on a safe and comfortable schooner with a professional pilot, bartenders and servers. Travelers may have a tropical drink (price not included) while they bathe in the wonderful Bahian sun. The first stop will be Priest Island, a stunning tropical paradise where one can swim, snorkel, sun bathe, stroll along the sandy beaches, or purchase shells, coral, or other handicrafts made by local merchants. After two hours at Priest Island, you will re board the schooner, set sail for Itaparica Island, and enjoy a delicious lunch of salads, beans & rice, fish, meats, deserts and coffee. Following lunch, you may take a short tour featuring a stop at the original "Fountain of Youth", or simply relax on the beach. Lunch at Itaparica Island included.
Optional evening activity to be announced
Day 10 – Saturday, August 25 - Salvador: Cachoeira & Sister of the Good Death and stop in Santo Amaro, hometown of famed singers Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania.
The Sisterhood of the Good Death originated in Salvador at a time when Blacks were denied access to Catholic ceremonies. Consequently, religious rituals combining Catholic and Candomble practices were carried out in secret. Soon, several churches practiced this combination of religions. As time passed, The Sisterhood of the Good Death in Cachoeira was the only one to survive. Their annual festival (attended by followers from around the world) is held in August, and is a marvelous spectacle. It is led by the sumptuously bedecked Sisters, whose conspicuous gold filigree and coral jewelry belie the reserved dignity of these religious women. Besides the festivals outward expressions of joy and revelry, The Sisterhood of the Good Death's undeniable value lies in its preservation of maintaining the indivisible mark of the Saints and Orixas, characteristic of Afro-Brazilian syncretism, guarded in secrecy and taboos. In masses and processions of a Catholic character, in ritual feasts prepared in the Candomble tradition, in the Sisters traditional black and white robes, in the candles and flowers, and in fundamentals and ceremonies, the Good Death Festival emanates the unique character of the sole surviving Sisterhood of Afro-Brazilian women, united in their faith and devotion to the Holy Mother. Cachoeira is located in the countryside of Salvador; this activity is all day long. You leave the hotel in the morning and return in the late part of the afternoon. Lunch will be at a beautiful Covent.Evening Activity: Witness Candomble, the African-based Brazilian religion brought to Brazil by enslaved West Africans. We will experience a ceremony and receive blessings by spiritual elders.
Day 11 – Sunday, August 26 - Salvador: Free morning to relax on the beach or enjoy last minute shopping.
In the afternoon we leave from Salvador's International airport to flight back to Miami.
Day 12 – Monday,August 27- Arrive in the U.S. early morning.
There were will be extra charges for all the optional tours.
PACKAGE COST:
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY - $2600
SINGLE OCCUPANCY - $34OOPACKAGECOSTLAND ONLY:
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY - $1600
SINGLE OCCUPANCY - $2400FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT PLEASE
SONYA CHILDRESS AT
(347) 232-7887 OR AFROBRAZILTOUR@YAHOO.COM
AmericasConnect
Sonya Childress
Phone: 347-232-7887
arboriculture@yahoo.com
www.americasconnect.com
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